The Way They Stand
-After contacting Blast Off, Swift Blade has agreed to meet him here. Because war is coming there is little doubt that Swift Blade will need to either defend herself or someone else. Since Blast Off has offered to teach her more about shooting, she has finally taken him up on this offer. Over the past several million years she has had little occassion to use firearms, and she is surely rusty by now. Hopefully Blast Off will have some patience with her. -Fortunately, Blast Off does have patience. He's a sniper, it comes with the territory. So he agrees to meet Swift Blade at a shooting range in Stanix. He used to sight in here, though his trouble with the law had made it so he had avoided most of his usual haunts with the exception of Kaon, Nyon and occasionally Vos. But it had been a while, so he figured no one would still be looking for him here, or expecting him to just pop up one day. Now he waits at the shooting range, polishing and priming his blaster as he waits for the Seeker's arrival. -Swift Blade is fairly quiet until she gets closer to the range. Spotting Blast Off she moves over towards him, greeting him before she gets so close that it might be misunderstood as 'sneaking up on him.' "Good cycle," she says softly. "I am ready to learn." -And Blast off appreciates that, too. Sneaking up on him is NOT a good thing. There are a number of reasons he doesn't take that well- at all. Add guns to the mix and perhaps it's just as well to be cautious. The shuttleformer is just leaning in to look along the sights of his weapon when Swift Blade pipes up. Violet optics come up to face her and he gives her a polite nod. "Good cycle." He straightens up to look at her from his sitting position on the shooting bench. "I am ready to teach. Do you have a weapon, or would you like to use mine?" -"I do not have a weapon, I'm afraid," Swift Blade admits. It isn't so much caution as respect that made Swift Blade announce her presence early; she knows that the mech has ever reason to be worried and that it is NOT paranoia if almost everyone IS out to get him. Besides, she doesn't have that streak of impishness in her that some folks have. "I assumed that it would be best to learn more about firearms and where my talents may lie before actually procuring one for myself," she states. -Blast Off nods. "Quite understandable." He seems at home here in the shooting range, even for a mech who DOES seem to have almost everyone "out to get him". The sniper has troubles indeed, but here he is in one of his "natural environments". In fact, it's almost a soothing one to him, despite the gunshots and booms of nearby weaponry going off. He gestures with a hand for Swift Blade to sit down next to him, then slides the blaster to a spot between them on the shooting bench. "You can use this, or a pistol. Do you have a preference?" -Swift Blade is a little less sanguine about the noise, but she's not easily distressed. "Which is easier, in your opinion, to start with?" she asks, looking over both weapons as she sits down next to Blast Off, close enough to see but still far enough away to be polite. "Or, if they are equally easy to use, which one takes the least ammount of resources?" -Blast Off considers this, bringing one of his black hands up to tap thoughtfully on his chin under the faceplate. "To be honest... perhaps the pistol. It might be a little easier for a beginner to handle, would certainly take less space and ammunition, and is easier to sneak into an iffy situation and pull out in a tight spot." The sniper brings out a pistol. One of a pair he once had. He gave the other away to Shiftlock, but he tries not to think of her right now. That wound is still fresh. He holds it as a flash of sorrow strikes, then moves past that and regains his focus. Violet optics glance from the weapon up to Swift Blade. "First off, never point your weapon at soemthing you do not intend to shoot. safety first, after all." He points to the safety on the back of the pistol. "See that? Black means your safety is on. Click this..." He does so, and red appears. "Now your safety is off, and your gun will shoot." He clicks it back to black, then hands it to her. -If Swift Blade had known the history of the pistols, it is quite likely that she would have elected to use the blaster instead. As it is, she just nods her head as she listens. Accepting the gun carefully, she makes sure to point it NOT at Blast Off. She switches the safety back and forth a couple of times, just to get the feel. With her swords, she had to do nothing except draw them and they were ready. -Blast Off appreciates that, too. He likes shooting, but isn't quite so keen on GETTING shot. Funny that. He watches her, too... there's still a bit of wariness given his "wanted" status. The fact that he's offered to teach her some shooting lessons is a very good indication that he does trust her to some extent now. However, he still has no intentions on going quietly should she try to surprise him and pull the weapon on him. And after Quantum, and Shuterfly, and brainwashed friends, and everything else that's been thrown at him, he has reasons to be wary. Still, he remains fairly relaxed and in his elelment here in the shooting range. The Combatiocn watches her get used to the pistol. "Good. When you're ready, try aiming it at the target over there." He points at a nearby target already set up. -Such an act of betrayal is far from Swift Blade's mind. She'd pretty much HAVE to be brainwashed to pull a stunt like that. Especially since she knows she's not a crack shot. If she did attack, it would be with her swords. Fortunately, she's not enough on anyone's radar to warrant a brainwashing. Swift Blade raises the pistol, looking between the gun she holds and her target. She doesn't know much about trajectory or speed, but she fires because if she doesn't do then she won't learn. -The Combaticon watches Swift Blade shoot, nodding with approval. "Pretty good. You hit the edge of the target there, see?" Blast Off's hand points to the target, then to a sighting in mechanism on the top sights. "Dial that four clicks to the right... that should center it a bit better. Then I want you to try again. But *this* time.... I want you to center yourself. Think of something soothing. What is pleasant to you? Think of that, and become focused on that- and on yourself. Pay attention to your ventilation systems as they cycle, and focus on that natural rhythym. When those cycles are calm and steady, slowly squeeze the trigger at the bullseye." -Swift Blade is pretty calm to begin with, but this advice actually stumps her. What does she actually /enjoy/? Instead of her face relaxing to show she is following the advice, she looks somewhat strained in her concentration. The advice of listening to the rhythym of her vents makes a lot more sense to her, and so she focuses on that instead as it is something she understands. As such it takes her a little longer to 'settle' but when she feels more steady she squeezes the trigger again. -Blast Off notices that apparent inner struggle. "...Apologies. I... didn't think, but... as a slave, you may not have... had /time/ to find out just what is pleasant for you." He glances away, a little awkwardly, before looking at her once more. "Did you.. ever have any time to yourself? I can't imagine not having some... space." As lonely as he can get sometimes, having some personal space is still important to him. Swift Blade fires once more, and the Combaticon watches her progress. "Yes... see? Clearing your mind and focusing on your inner calm helps you tune in and strike your target. Focus and inner calm help in *many* situations, and are a vital element of firing a weapon." -Swift Blade smiles dryly. "I didn't think you would have made the statement to begin with if you had seen it that way," she says. She tilts her head to the side. "Often when I was left alone it was in a place that was very...stark. Empty. My comfort was not important." She shrugs her shoulders. "The flesh creatures are so soft that, to them, I seemed like something that had no feeling at all. To them metal was non-living and non-sapient. I was as completely alien to them as they were to me." But now it is her own people that seem alien, but she does not say that out loud. So she focuses on emptiness instead, this time, the moments of quiet contemplation she shared with herself while housed in bleak, empty rooms. Again she fires, her optics looking towards the bullseye as though it were the only thing in existance. - He glances to her. "Have you had an opportunity to look around recently, perhaps try some new things that you might find enjoyable? You are in Vos now, correct? There are a number of pleasant activities available there... and quite an arts culture. I did so enjoy it when I lived there." Then of course, that memory makes him a bit sad, so he stops and focuses on watching her again. "Ah, even better. See, you are getting close to the bullseye. Now, I want you to try an experiment. Quick, Swift Blade, those Bounty Hunters are after you again! That target is one of them, coming after you! Make this shot count! You don't have much time!" He urges her to shoot quickly- and with perhaps some urgency. Just to see how she does. -The femme looks like she's about to address the notion of searching for enjoyment, but then he tells her to be quick. By the time he gets the words, 'you don't have much' out, she's fired off a shot. There was less time for accuracy and thought this time, but she does know the value of acting fast, even if she doesn't know how to compensate for it with a firearm. After all, she was a bodyguard several times; being indecisive gets people killed. -Blast Off watches keenly. "Your reflexes are acceptible. It appears your aim suffered a bit there, but that is where practice will help you. There is a balance between taking one's time, finding that inner calm.... and reacting quickly to a dangerous situation. That is something you'll need to practice. Something that will take time. Does that make sense?" He then tilts his head slightly. "You looked as if you were about to speak before you shot there. How have things been going?" -"They have been well enough," Swift Blade says, flipping the safety on for now, not wanting to get too much into conversation that she is careless with the weapon. Blades might have a different set of rules for care, but she learned enough from that example to know that being careless can cause a lot of grief. "I've been doing alright in my general training, though my flight speeds are a bit low." She shrugs her shoulders as though she's not terribly concerned over the matter. "It has been suggested that I be retrofitted at some point." -Blast Off hmmms. "Do you have access to parts? I suppose, if you're situated in Vos you may have much better access to maintainence than most. Yet another thing I liked about that city." Certainly more access than HE has, now. "And indeed, if you are capable of faster speeds, then it would be recommended. Sometimes one needs a good burst of speed to distance oneself from one's enemies and manuever around them." -"Commander Starscream said he would look into it. He has been fairly supportive since I first met him," Swift Blade says with a little shrug. "He had wanted a flight and complained that I was slow. I explained to him that my speed had been sacrificed for fuel efficiency." She offers a wry smile. "I believe some of the flesh creatures found my original speed a bit intimidating." -Blast Off has to refrain from rolling his optics at the mention of Starscream. "Ah... yes. So you've wound up working with /him/?" He sounds like he thinks that would be rather unpleasant. "He..." He seraches for words. "The "Commander" certainly enjoys being that, and living the high life in Vos. But he's... annoying, too." The shuttleformer's optics dim and his voice quiets. "Still.... He has a way of... making you feel indebted to him." LIke when Starscream rescued Blast Off from Pharma's clutches and then insisted he join the Decepticons as payment. Annoying, yes.... but there are worse payments. His optic ridges lift slightly. "You went for a flight with him?" He huffs in a not-quite-amused, but not-quite-annoyed way. "I've heard Seekers in Vos enjoy aerial displays... even dances." He looks at her curiously. "And of course, he's a Seeker- in a city of Seekers. I imagine you must be feeling at home?" -"I'm a recruit in Vos, so I fall under his perview, yes," Swift Blade says. "He has...a fairly distinct personality," is all she'll say about the rather 'showy' mech. "There is definitely some gratitude there since he waived my fees for the academy there." She shrugs. "At home? Not quite yet. I'm far less trained than those of my age, but far older than those I share a class with. I am still...at odds." She frowns briefly. "I am hoping this changes a bit once I am no longer a simple recruit." -"Yes, he does have a... distinct personality, I'll... give you that." Blast Off actually sounds a little amused and looks down, moving his own blaster closer to the femme before looking back up to her again. For a second he almost seems to let his guard down, simply enjoying someone's company in an environment that is familiar to him. "Here, try this next. The basics are the same, just be careful of the recoil." The shuttleformer continues to listen, and by the time she mentions being at odds, that wariness has returned. Not so much directed at her, but as he is reminded at how he, too, is at odds with so many others. "Yes... I know how that goes." His hands withdraw and he straightens up to watch her shoot the blaster now. "Education is very important. As I've said before, knowledge is power." He seems almost melancholy, as if that brings in a bad memory, then he moves on. "Have you made any progress on understanding the state of the planet? Understanding *why* I /don't/ fit in with this government?" -Swift Blade accepts the other gun and looks for the safety on this one as well, wanting to be sure where it is. She puts the pistol down in front of Blast Off. She braces herself to fire; in fact, the recoil might make more sense with her pre-existing training, since hitting someone with a sword can be quite jarring, not to mention parrying. Aiming with this one is about the same, but the recoil doesn't seem to stress her much. Once the shot is fired, she sets the gun aside, safely of course. "I believe you would work very well in a small group where you could depend on the leaders to know your abilities and opinions, value them, and make judgements based on a group effort," she says slowly. "In the current government, anyone who isn't part of the government is just a faceless citizen of varying levels of affluence. You do not feel like an individual, so you fight it." -The Combaticon monitors this all, watching as Swift Blade fires the blaster and taking the pistol when it's placed before him. Blast Off subspaces that away, then turns and nods. "You describe my experience in the Primal Vanguard, with my fellow Combaticons. It was just five of us, and my Commander, Onslaught, is just such a mech. I do not always agree with him, of course, but he considers our opinions." He pauses, thinking of the Combaticon he just met recently- a survivor of his home colony who just appeared on the planet here, Starchamber. And his homeworld colony, Combatron. "I... did not always exactly *fit* in on Combatron, but... I could deal with Onslaught. *Because* he values individuals. He knew when to listen and when to command, and he values both intelligence, planning and caution *and* the use of force when neccessary, all excellent qualities for an officer in the military. I mattered as an individual, and I could be content with my *choice* in following his leadership." He huffs, /almost/ but not quite amused. "Though in my perfect world, I wouldn't have to follow *anyone*, I'd just be my OWN master of my destiny. I'd follow my OWN orders, and those alone." -Swift Blade tilts her head to the side. "And do you equate taking advice with following orders if there is no expectation of following that advice?" she asks quietly, thoughtfully. "As for myself, I'm used to following commands. I hated it, but it was because the punishments were severe if I even looked like I was going to question them." She frowns. "But I recognize a need for some order, as long as those who command earn their way into the position and are not granted it out of hand," she notes. "Perhaps one day I will meet your Onslaught." She looks off into the distance for a few moments. "If I found someone I /wanted/ to follow, then I would do so with every bit of energy I have." -Blast Off tilts his own head in response. "... What do you mean? I suppose that yes, following orders is the willing equivilent of "taking advice" from one's Commander. But it would require that you DO follow that advice- that command. Otherwise you have rejected both the order- and the advice. And..." He shrugs a little, "As much as I... bristle at taking commands, I understand that the military structure requires such a thing. And I feel comfortable putting that... well, that trust in someone like Onslaught. Which, ...unlike you, I had the choice to accept or not. And everyone *ought* to have that choice." The shuttleformer looks thoughtful, gazing at Swift Blade a long time as if deliberating something. "Well... perhaps someday you will meet Onslaught." He glances around almost furtively, then leans in slightly to continue in a more hushed tone. "Someday... if you have seen... *enough*, let me know and you *can* meet him, and mechs like him. Just know that it might require..." He glances away, trying hard to think just how to say this, "...A certain level of /commitment/ at that point." He hints at, but doesn't overly offer up bits of information about, the Decepticon cause he's joined. -"Committment," Swift Blade says slowly. "It is something I understand the concept of, but the choice to committ to something, or someone, has not really come up." She smiles faintly. "Onslaught is in such a position that one cannot even meet him casually?" she asks, perhaps sounding a triffle disappointed. As for the Decepticons in general, Swift Blade isn't pushing for more information. As much as knowledge is power, sometimes the knowledge will give others power over her instead of granting the power /to/ her. "When I asked about the advice, I just meant if you resented people giving you advice that were not in a command structure of any sort," she clarifies for her earlier question. -Blast Off ahhhs. "I see." His optic ridges furrow down slightly. "You had no choice, so there was no commitment you could make." He leans back. "Now I sense from you a certain... hesitation TO commit, now that you are once more capable of doing so. You are afraid of... making the wrong choice?" Her question on Onslaught causes the shuttleformer to blink, and lift a hand to scratch a little at the back of his helmet, looking slightly embarrassed. "Uh, oh. Well... Heh, perhaps." He glances away again, and seems to forwn a little under the faceplate. "Though... he IS a rather serious mech. He doesn't exactly have a lot of time for... frivolities. Mostly work. So the odds of just... encountering him somewhere random isn't good." Which- might BE a good thing for Blast Off, actually. And Blast Off is aware of the double-edged nature of such a question. However, he still felt compelled to offer Swift Blade a way in to the Decepticons, should she ever choose that. But he doesn't press the issue any further. As for the rest: "Ahh." His head leans back a little as he contemplates this. "....Yes, I think... at least to some degree. I already know what I want, and don't need a bunch of unasked-for advice." His head tilts again. "Though... I suppose it also depends on who is *giving* the advice, too. If it was someone I knew, someone I...tr..." Does he trust /anyone/ anymore? He's not sure. Not if they're not a Combaticon. "Someone I knew /well/. Then... perhaps I wouldn't mind." -"Exactly," Swift Blade says with a nod of her head and another sigh. "It isn't so much fear though. It's more that I know it is a serious thing, so I do not want to do so lightly. And you know as well as I do how short of a time I have been here," she points out. "I simply do not have the information and the resources. Maybe if the world wasn't about to fragment into so many pieces..." She makes a gesture in front of her to indicate the whole of Cybertron. "Now is a dangerous time to rush into anything. I believe I still have some time left." Then she actually gives Blast Off what is probably one of the fullest smiles she has yet. "Then it might be just as well I am not prone to giving a lot of advice," she says in a brief moment of, what is for her, levity. If she recognizes that the Shuttleformer still doesn't trust her, she shows no sign of being offended by this. In her optics it is his experience that makes him that way, not anything she personally has done, or not done. As such, she leaves it to him to sort out his own feelings. Abruptly she changes the subject. "Do you think you will be facing Quantum in space if the device checks out?" she inquires. -Still leaning in a little, Blast Off actually finds himself a little frustrated at swift Blade's recalcitrance. Why, he's not even sure. Perhaps he is starting to like her enough that he wishes she would just see how RIGHT he is. Perhaps he would like that extra assurance from a nonpartisan party that he is indeed correct about hating the government and how it- and this whole planet it seems- has treated him. "I don't think you have as much time as /you/ think you do." He partially shakes his head, slowly canting it to one side as his hand comes to rest directly in front of him on the bench. "I *know* you've had several people tell you a great deal many things, and surely you've seen how things are only escalating?" Come now, surely you must see how he is RIGHT? Her smile, though, gives him pause and he leans back again, giving her a little more "space". Not that he was THAT close to begin with, but he was unconsciously edging in. He blinks, mentally shifting gears, then lets out a slightly amused sort of huff. Studying her, he asks slowly, "Why? Were you wanting to give me some advice?" Finally, the Combaticon's demeanor becomes serious ocne more. He gazes down towards the blaster on the bench. "...Yes, probably. I would like to be *done* with this. Done with him, and his endless vendettas. It's time to settle this once and for all." -RIGHT, no. Right, yes. Swift Blade is not a blind follower for the very reason that she HAD to be for so long. Breaking free of shackles after so long was nothing short of miraculous for the ex-slave. Running into servitude of another kind is not high on her list. "If I were to ask the government and they did not like my ultimate choice, the consequences would be severe from my understanding of things," she starts. "If I were to speak to the head of the subversive movement and did not agree with him, would the consequences be equally severe? The difference has to be more than ideology; there has to be a difference in action as well." She sighs deeply. "I will be very honest that I do not wish to be on the other side of whatever line it is you draw for yourself." Both hands are folded in front of her and she looks at Blast Off rather intently. "But I don't think whomever you follow want me there to follow you," she says. The matter of Quantum is brushed to the back of her mind again. -Blast Off considers Swift Blade's response. Her accessment of the government is spot on. "Yes, they absolutely /would/ be severe." Her assessment of the subversive movement is..... well, he's not sure. This makes him pause. "I... well, no, it's not like that, it's..." Then he pauses once more, thinking about what he heard concerning the death of Clench and the anger directed towards Torque when she didn't quite... 'appreciate" what megatron had done for her. His gaze drifts away. "Well... I don't *think* so..." His face slowly turns until he looks at her once more. "I'm... not sure. It's just that... desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures, and there is a time to consider treading gently... and then there is a time to strike hard. Sometimes the two do not meet in the middle. It is just the nature of the universe- and us." Blast Off straightens as Swift Blade sighs, and his look becomes throughful again- and perhaps even a little wistful. His violet optics gaze into hers, studying them. "...I... do not wish for that, either." His jaw seems to set and he leans back, sliding his elbow closer to him. "Maybe that is why I... push you a little. I think it is later than you realize." It's a warning, in a way. He knows things will be changing very soon. "However, I think you *would* be welcome, but only if you were of like mind. And I'm not sure you're there yet." -"I can only hope that I learn enough from my training /before/ it is too late," Swift Blade says. She doesn't know that Starscream and Blast Off are aligned, at least for now. "But, if you think about it, I'm not of a like mind to anyone really." In that way they are the same, out of synch with their peers. Actually, it's hard to tell /who/ Swift Blade's 'peers' really are. The femme in question raises her optic ridges slightly. "You sound as though you are not entirely sure on your own side's position," she says softly. "Is this because the heads of the movement are ambiguous or is it simply because it is still in a...formative...stage?" She doesn't want details, at least nothing that can be used tactically against them. Rather she's trying to discern where Blast Off himself stands. -Blast Off nods, his gaze falling on his blaster once more. "Yes. I hope that this was helpful, and at least gave you some feel for shooting a gun and some idea of which kind you might choose to carry yourself one day. A weapon like this keeps you far from your enemy, allowing you to strike them without getting too close. There are times that is... quite handy." He takes the blaster and subspaces it as well. What she says seems true, and Blast Off agrees. "I suppose so. It takes time to find one's... way. Sometimes... a LOT of time." He's not sure he EVER HAS found it here. Which brings him to look just a bit awkward at her last question, and he glances away. After a moment he says, "Things are... forming. These are chaotic times, stirring up... chaotic people. But sometimes chaos is needed to break down complacency." His jaw seems to set again. He thinks of everything he's lost, everything the Senate and the Autobots have taken from him- or tried to- lately. "And it's time to... shake things up." -"I suppose I am a bit on the complacent side," Swift Blade says after giving it a moment of thought. "Perhaps because I thought I might finally get some rest when I returned home." She offers a very dry smile. "Obviously, this has NOT been the case." Her optics widen just a little bit. "Perhaps I have been feeling some resentment to all sides simply because the dischord has been inconvienient to me. That is hardly rational or fair and I should curb it." One of her hands goes up to her head. "The people here have been suffering. That should not be acceptable. And I should not grudge anyone their anger simply because it made my homecoming more difficult. My irritation is nothing compared to what is happening here." One of the big differences between Blast Off and Swift Blade is that the latter will take blame upon herself, while Blast Off spends a lot of time trying to blame everyone except himself. Maybe this is because of their different backgrounds, or maybe even because of a difference in gender. It is hard to tell. -Indeed, Blast Off is egotistical, defensive, and much more inclined to find blame elsewhere. It's so much easier that way and avoids messy self-examination, something the mech does a /lot/ to avoid, actually. Even though he often doesn't even realize he's doing that. He can understand some of Swift Blade's frustration, though. "Yes... well, perhaps you are frustrated with how... *stupid* some people are being. How stupid the entire situation is, really. All this greed and dischord when... if people were simply granted a bit of *choice* and dignity, there would be much more productivity and prosperity." The shuttle glances skywards. "People are... annoying that way. Out among the stars, things make much more *sense* to me, but people are ....illogical, emotional, often petty and ridiculous creatures. And they sweep those of us who are far more *sensible* up in their pettiness sometimes... unfortunately." -Swift Blade leans forward slightly, as though becoming tired. "I'm not sure how sensible I am. I simply see what I see and try my best to act accordingly. I don't have all the answers." She lets out a long sigh. "Ideally if I could really understand the head of each side then a choice would be easier to make. But that is not realistic. Those who are that important would hardly care to meet with an ex slave that just returned home after millions of years." There is no self-denigration in her tone; she's telling things as she understands them, and she's probably not wrong. "For example, this Megatron has written words that have stirred people to the core, but his actions are violent. Without being present, and knowing all the individuals involved, I cannot in any way judge whether or not the violence was necessary, a bit of an over reaction, or entirely without merit. I can only try to understand these things from second and third hand accounts." -Hmm. So word has gotten around already? Blast Off supposes he should not be surprised, there were a lot of people crammed into that arena that night after all. The shuttleformer leans away even as Swift Blade leans forward, looking a little guarded. Of course, he isn't keen on admitting he is part of Megatron's movement. "But can you understand that there is a *reason* for his movement, at least?" He asks, then seems to deliberate once more. "And what if you *could* see such a thing? Be "present"? Would that make a difference to you? Would seeing the thing with your own optics help click things more firmly into place?" Pause. "Well, with Megatron, the Senate, or anything else... hypothetically? For as you say... it is difficult to understand things when you have only experienced them through second-hand accounts. When you're like ME and have lived through far too many up close and personal battles... the choice becomes much clearer." -"The reason is not holding me back," Swift Blade says. "It is the question of method." Her elbows rest on her knees and her chin rests in her cupped hands; the position makes her look younger than all her years. "Seeing isn't always believing, but it's still closer to believing than merely hearing," she says slowly. "Both sides believe they are right and so both sides will take my reluctance as an affront to their causes. Getting the information I require might very well seal my fate whether I will it or not." She sits up straight again to look at Blast Off. "You, with your love of choice and freedom, must surely understand my position here." -Blast Off tilts his head, studying the femme. "I think one reason people keep pressuring you is because these are trying times... people want to know who is on their side. Who they can... "trust". Knowing who your enemies and your friends are becomes very important in times like these." The Combaticon should know. And he also /does/ know where Swift Blade comes from. "...Yes. I understand." He glances away momentarily. "I do not mean to... be vulgar, or ...pushy. And I will not try to tell you that information and experience comes without a price. It does have a price. The deeper you get, the more your fate may be sealed." He looks back to her. "But you're already enmeshed, like it or not, and eventually you will have to simply accept that you are now a PART of this all- and decide to move forward, wherever that may lead. If it is meant to be... then it will be. But stagnating, while a choice, may not be a good one." -"I think a large part of you, whether you recognize it or not, believes I will eventually side with you," Swift Blade says, "Whatever side that might end up being." Clearly it won't be the law, but she doesn't know how many other dissident groups there may be on Cybertron. Just because the Decepticons are the 'loudest' of the bunch right now doesn't mean they're the only ones on the planet that are dissatisfied. "If you even strongly suspected that I would fall on the side of the law I doubt you would speak with me as much as you have." The smile she gives him is somewhat wistful and perhaps even a bit reproachful. "It is completely right for you to stand where you are. I know enough to realize that giving yourself over to the law would be an end, of your freedom or perhaps even your life. And it is right that you should want to live." She takes a deep breath. "But what is right for you is not necessarily right for me." -Blast Off falls immediately into a little bit of denial. he waves a hand dismissively, "Well, not neccessarily, I simply have... well, enjoyed a bit of *intelligent* company, and...." But it's true. he does think she very well might be on his side. It just seems like she should- she doesn't have any reason to coddle the status quo, after all. He quiets down, though, and breaks away from that train of thought enough to admit, "Well... yes, I suppose. You seem far too *sensible* to side on what this planet calls "law"." Still, she hesitates. The shuttleformer listens and... fianlly, she does say *something* he wanted to hear, even if he didn't quite realize it. That he is RIGHT on something. Right in his concern and his fight against being taken in by this so-called "justice" system. The shuttle actually relaxes a bit at that, relieved. "Yes. Yes, it would be... the end." He can nod at the rest, scooting his seat back and standing before he replies. "Yes... it is understandable. Every individual must choose their own path, and I do not wish to make your decisions for you." There's a glance to the door. "It is getting late... I should probably go." -"It is," Swift Blade says. "I accept you, Blast Off, whatever the choices you have made up to the point that I met you, they are not my concern. You have only shown me consideration and support and I am not quick to forget these things. This is where I'm standing right now, for better or for worse." She smiles briefly. "You may very well be right about me too." She stands up. "Good night Blast Off."